On a day when the sorry Atlantic Division got even sorrier – the Nets losing All-Star center Brook Lopez for the season – the Knicks showed no signs of being able to take advantage.
They got battered on the boards and bludgeoned inside in a 95-87 Saturday matinée loss to the Grizzlies at the Garden.
With Tyson Chandler back, coach Mike Woodson started his biggest possible lineup Saturday against the outsized Grizzlies. But it didn’t help any more than Friday night’s proposed early bedtime did. They fell behind by 18 and – despite closing to within four in the final minute – couldn’t complete the comeback, falling to an unsightly 8-18 for the season.
The Knicks have squandered whatever homecourt advantage they once had. After going 31-10 in the Garden last season, they already have matched that loss total, falling to 4-10 at home. And they did it by being physically dominated.
The Knicks were hammered 56-29 on the backboards and outscored 60-28 in the paint, helpless against a big Memphis frontcourt led by Zach Randolph (25 points and 15 rebounds).
“We’re going to have to do a really good job with their bigs. That’s where their strength is, with Zach (Randolph) and (Kosta) Koufos. We’ve got to get back in transition,’’ embattled coach Mike Woodson had said beforehand. “It’s going to have to be defense first, and figure it out offensively.’’
Carmelo Anthony had a team-high 30 points and seven rebounds, but no other Knick starter mustered double-figures. Tim Hardaway Jr. and J.R. Smith — often pressed into point-guard duty — each had 16.
Chandler had returned from a fractured fibula Wednesday against Milwaukee, and the Knicks hoped the 7-footer would anchor their defense. Woodson tried to match Memphis with a big lineup up Chandler at center, Andrea Bargnani at power forward and Anthony at small forward, the lineup they used to start the season.
It was a dismal failure. Despite not having to face injured center Marc Gasol (strained MCL), they fell behind early and trailed almost wire-to-wire. They led 33-32 on Toure’ Murry’s driving layup midway through the second quarter, but were outscored 18-7 the rest of the half to go into the locker room trailing by double digits.
With starting point guard Raymond Felton still out with a strained left hamstring – hoping at best for a Monday return – the Knicks rested Beno Udrih to start the fourth quarter and had no point guard on the floor. Their 72-61 deficit swelled to 18.
The Knicks clawed within 87-78 with four minutes left to play, but Memphis scored back-to-back baskets to bring down the boos. A Carmelo Anthony 3-pointer cut it to 91-84 with 1:40 remaining, and another basket cut it to five with a minute left.
Chandler hit one of two free throws to make it 91-87 with 25 seconds remaining, but Memphis’ Jerryd Bayless hit a pair to push the lead back to six.
Metta World Peace missed Saturday’s loss with a sore knee, and sounded as if he’s likely to miss at least Monday’s tilt as well.